Henry also had nine birdies in perfect conditions at TPC Summerlin en route to the lowest round of his career. The two-time PGA TOUR winner broke the course record and was a shot off the event mark of 59 set by Chip Beck in 1991 at Sunrise Golf Club.

"I finally made some putts," Henry said. "I've always felt like I've been a pretty good ball-striker, and when I make some putts I seem to climb the board.

Henry began play on No. 10, and birdied Nos. 12 and 15-17 on his first nine. He added birdies on Nos. 2, 4-6 and 8 before the closing eagle on the par-5 ninth for a career-best 7-under 28 on the nine.

"And I obviously hit a lot of good ones today and hit some close ones, but it was nice to make a couple of those ones, especially that last one for eagle on nine, my 18th hole. I'm just trying to get it down there somewhere and obviously kind of tap it in, but it's always a bonus when those things go in."

Henry's previous PGA TOUR best was a 10-under 61 in the 2006 Phoenix Open.

"Obviously, this is the kind of week you (have to) shoot some low scores," Henry said. "And obviously (there) is a long way to go, but it's nice to get one early in the tournament and see if you can kind of build on it. You (have to) shoot somewhere in the low-to-mid 20s (under par for 72 holes) to probably have a chance to win, and I think the golf course is going to be there."

Argentina's Andres Romero was second. He had two eagles in a 61, also his lowest PGA TOUR score.

"I was focused on my game and I was trying to do my job, and that's all," Romero said. "I feel very good and focused on the game and on every shot. So I wasn't paying attention to the leaderboard and the other guys."

Driscoll holed out from the fairway for an eagle on the ninth.

"I actually hit a decent drive and it caught the left bunker," Driscoll said. "I had to lay up to like 90 yards and had a pretty good number and been working on my wedge game pretty good, so I felt pretty confident over it, and it kind of took a nice little kick for me and went right in the hole."

Overton holed out for eagle on his opening hole --the 408-yard, par-4 first.

"I don't ever remember holing out on the first hole any golf tournament," Overton said. " So it was pretty of cool. I kind of felt uncomfortable for some reason on the first tee, kind of pulled it and kind of had a tough little shot underneath the tree and hit a little low snap hook pitching wedge and it rolled about 30 feet and just died right in the center and I'm like, `Sweet.'"

Webb Simpson had a 64.

Zach Johnson opened with a 69. Defending champion Ryan Moore also shot 69.

Jimmy Walker, the FedExCup leader and winner of the season-opening Frys.com Open last week in California, had a 71.

TPC Summerlin: Thursday

Easiest hole

Toughest hole

The par-5 ninth hole was the easiest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.424.

EAGLES: 5 | BIRDIES: 69 | PARS: 55 | BOGEYS: 3 | OTHERS: 0

The par-4 third hole was the toughest with a Thursday scoring average of 4.318.

EAGLES: 0 | BIRDIES: 12 | PARS: 75 | BOGEYS: 36 | OTHERS: 9

About the leader: J.J. Henry

• J.J. Henry closed his round Thursday with a 50-foot, 9-inch eagle-3 from the fringe on the par-5 ninth for a TPC Summerlin course-record 11-under 60. He'll carry a one-stroke lead over Andres Romero into the second round of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

• The 38-year-old Henry breaks the old course record of 61 held by four players and most recently Ryan Moore in 2012 (Rd. 1). The others include Hunter Haas (2011/Rd. 2), Tag Ridings (2004/Rd. 4) and Davis Love III (2001/Rd. 5). By comparison, the tournament record is a 59 set by Chip Beck at Sunrise Country Club in 1991.

• Henry's 60 is the 29th in PGA TOUR history. The 2013 season saw 60s turned in by Phil Mickelson in the first round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open and Keegan Bradley during Riound 1 of the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

• Henry's 60 included a 7-under 28 on the front nine (his back nine after beginning the round on No. 10) which included the eagle on the ninth hole and birdies on Nos. 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8. His previous-best nine-hole score on the PGA TOUR is 29, set on three occasions and most recently at the 2009 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (back nine/R2).